1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to hanger devices and more specifically to the construction of hanger devices for suspending, dressing and weighing game.
2. Description of Related Art
Once a domestic or wild animal such as a deer, hog, antelope, elk, or other game animal is taken, hunters will dress the game in the field or place where the game was taken. A problem inherent with dressing game in the field is that dressing game on the ground offers many opportunities to damage the hide or to contaminate the meat. Hunters have thus continuously attempted to raise the game from the ground before dressing through, for example, by hanger devices.
Conventional hanger devices or game supports have been developed for suspending the game above the ground for dressing. In most cases, hanger devices of this type utilize lifting hooks which fasten to the game. In particular, the lifting hooks may be secured to separate legs of the game. The hanger devices including the lifting hooks are suspended from an overhanging support.
Conventional hanger devices require additional equipment to adapt the hanger device for suspending different sizes of game. Collapsible hanger devices solve the problem of needing different hanger devices for different size game by providing hooks which may be brought close together to facilitate attachment to the feet of the game. After engagement with the game, the hooks of this type of hanger device would be automatically expanded by the weight supported thereon so as to spread the legs of the game for convenience in dressing the same.
Weighing game has proved tremendously difficult for many hunters. Hunters must lift the game and place it onto a weight scale to measure its total weight, or the weight of the fully intact game as hunted in the wild. Then, the hunter must lower the game from the weight scale and lift the game for a second time to position it onto a hanger device where the game may be dressed. After dressing the game animal, the hunter must lower the game from the hanger device and lift the game for a third time to place it back onto the weight scale to measure its dressed weight. This continual lifting process is not only tedious, but also extremely cumbersome because big game can be very heavy.
Consequently, there exists a need to simplify the tasks of suspending, dressing and weighing game.